Friends or Lovers: Happiness is What Matters
by MissHayleeBlack
Summary: Before the Fellowship leaves Rivendell, Bilbo has a talk with Frodo about his relationship with Sam. One-shot.


**Disclaimer: I do not own the Lord of the Rings or any related character, places, or junk.**

Frodo couldn't begin to express the amount he joy he felt as he talked to Bilbo. Talking to the jolly hobbit could lift the greatest shadows on a saddened heart. Bilbo just talked with such wonder and joy in his soothing voice. It made Frodo want to jump right in beside him and sing and cheer. Not even the incredibly specific details he asked about the journey there. It wasn't until Bilbo began getting personal that Frodo's found it hard to answer the man he looked up to so much.

"So, what of your friendship with Sam? You two seem to have grown rather close since I left you," Bilbo mentioned with a casual air unlike his curious natural.

"I should hope so seeing how young he was when you left," Frodo pointed out. Sam was twelve years younger than him. Now the difference was insignificant to him, but then the age gap had seemed to be so large.

"That is not what I meant, and you know it," Bilbo grinned. "I like him. I've never met someone so brave as you stroll in uninvited to Elrond's Council. Brilliant, brave little fellow, eh?" He winked suggestively. Frodo's contorted with horror as he realized what Bilbo was trying to say. The old hobbit shook with laughter to get such a reaction out of his young nephew. He hadn't meant to say it in such a way, but as the words fell out of his mouth he decided he could accept the possibility. Okay, maybe he liked the idea just a little. How couldn't he? Sam was good for Frodo, and the kid has nerves of steel. What made Frodo happy made Bilbo happy for him.

"Bilbo! Please tell me you aren't honestly suggesting-," Frodo blinked and his mouth hung agape. "Suggesting that!"

"Why not?" Bilbo shrugged. Frodo shook his head and his mop of shaggy brown hair whipped his face as he did so.

"That imagination of yours in something, isn't it?" Frodo laughed awkwardly. Bilbo gave him a more serious look than Frodo once thought the old hobbit could possess before he began laughing joyously as well.

"Silly idea I suppose. Truly, what of this friendship?" He continued, ready and eager to write down notes the moment Frodo began speaking.

"Sam is incredibly loyal and probably the best person I know outside you and me. He's a bit naïve, but I'd rather him be than to understand everything that's going on around him," Frodo sighed. It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't everything he could say about Sam Gamgee. How could he tell Bilbo about the way Sam could make him laugh like no one other than Bilbo without raising his uncle's suspicions? Bilbo's imagination would run wild with crazy ideas if Frodo began spouting off about Sam's unique brand of wisdom that came from his compassionate heart and innocent mind. Honestly, he didn't want the old hobbit to know that Sam was so much better to Frodo than he was to Sam. He couldn't bare the idea that his uncle would agree that Sam deserves do much more than he gave him. He would break if Bilbo agrees that Frodo was putting Sam in danger recklessly and selfishly. The very idea made his heart ache and his mind race. Could his uncle even understand how deeply-rooted and precious their friendship was?

Bilbo looked up when Frodo stopped speaking. A curious glint was in his eye and his smile turned questioning. Frodo didn't notice the knowing look Bilbo's face flowed into directly after. The older hobbit put his writing materials away and sat with his hands in front of him. His palms didn't touch, but the very tips of his fingers met. His back was slightly straighter and he crossed a leg broadly.

"Off the record," Bilbo prompted. This tore Frodo from his thoughts. The younger hobbit glanced up from his downward turned face. His hair thankfully covered the blush that ran over his cheeks. He awkwardly cleared his throat and shifted slightly to get comfortable.

"I don't know what else to say," Frodo lied nervously. Bilbo scoffed at the idea. He didn't have time to chide his nephew as the door flew open with a loud bag. In ran a red-faces and panting Sam Gamgee. His curly locks were matted to his face with sweat and he still had mud on his shoes from being outside. He leaned forward propping himself up on his knees as he caught his breathe.

"Mr. Frodo, Mr. Frodo. I need you!" Sam cried in a child-like voice. Frodo jumped from his seat immediately and ran off with Sam with no questions asked.

Bilbo had the suspicion that Frodo was secretly (or not so secretly since he's about a subtle as a Balrog in an open field) glad to be interrupt in the midst of their conversation. Bilbo got up slowly and took his time trying to find the two kids. He ventured around the place, looking at the beautiful sights to see. He was in no hurry.

He eventually found them out in the stables. Well, found them isn't the correct word. He saw Pippin and Merry running by and hiding behind a rather large object for which he had no name. It was scratchy, and he didn't care much for it. The two trouble-makers were peering around the object and grinning at each other like they were the only ones in on some sort of inside joke. Bilbo crept up behind them, scaring them half to death. They jumped, but did not draw unnecessary attention to themselves.

"Shush!" The two said, pressing fingers to their lips.

"Why are we shushing?" Bilbo whispered with amusement. Merry looked around the object before grinning wildly.

"They're so cute," Pippin snorted.

"Adorable," Merry snickered sarcastically.

"Oh, Mr. Frodo, Mr. Frodo," Pippin said mockingly as he gave big, puppy-dog eyes to Merry. "I do so need your help. I'm a gardener, but I don't know a thing about ponies."

"Oh ho ho! Don't worry about a thing, Sam. I'm just going to repress my emotions and assure you that everything's okay. Not that I know anything about ponies myself, but I can't have you thinking I'm stupid. That would hurt my already fragile ego." Merry played along quietly.

"My hero! Say Bill's going to be okay? He looks long in the face," Pippin pouted dramatically.

"That's because he's a pony," Merry snorted, now returning to being himself. That was Pippin's signal that he had teased the two enough behind their backs. Bilbo chuckled at the theatrics and glanced around the barrier.

Frodo was petting Bill affectionately and had a hand on Sam's shoulder as he assured him that Bill was alright and probably just ate too much. Sam hugged him graciously before pulling away with an awkward smile. Frodo shuffled his feet just as awkwardly, but his face wasn't quite as red as Sam's.

Bilbo returned to Merry and Pippin who were snickering to themselves.

"What is going on that I don't know about?" He asked curiously. Pippin opened his mouth to make a lewd comment, but Merry stopped him with a threatening look.

"Nothing really, Bilbo. They just admire each other is all. We have to tease them about it; what sort of friends would we be if we didn't?" Merry shrugged.

Bilbo grinned in response and peered to look at the too close friends again. He loved seeing Frodo was happy. When Sam was around, Frodo seemed more so elated. Sam was so brave, innocent, and bright. In dark times, Bilbo was sure he would be Frodo's saving light. He wouldn't let Frodo fail his task. Frodo needed someone to keep on the right track. That was enough for Bilbo to love the young hobbit. He was taking care of Frodo when Bilbo couldn't do it himself.

Frodo glanced up and smiled contently when he met Bilbo's eye. That very fact reassured him that, yes, with Sam, Frodo would do just fine. It was time that he let go of Frodo's hand, but it was comforting to know that his nephew had another's hand to hold when the journey became treacherous. Bilbo could see in that look that Frodo had everything he needed in his friend Sam Gamgee, the lost-puppy-turned-guard-dog. The old hobbit had a feeling that Sam's bite was a lot worse than his bark which was rather pleasant. He knew _he _didn't want to be the one to mess with Frodo when Sam's on duty.

"Because they're in _love!_" Pippin shouted. Frodo's eyes went wide with that same horror he showed back in the room. Sam turned around with a bright red face and mouth agape.

"Shut up, you!" Sam yelled. Pippin laughed and sprinted away from the scene of the crime. Sam charged after him head first. With a sigh, daddy-Merry went to chide the children as Frodo stood in shock and embarrassment.

Bilbo looked out on the scene with a smile. "And they all settled down and lived together happily ever after," he thought with a futile hope that they would get that fairytale ending (Tolkien p. 273).


End file.
